Larry Sanders Give Refs the Ol' Thumbs Up, Gets Ejected from Game

But after receiving a dubious offensive foul during a game against the Wizards Wednesday night, Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders became testy and decided to take matters into his own hands.

His own very polite hands.

Smiling, Sanders gave each of the three referees on the court a big, shiny thumbs up as he walked back up the court to play defense.

Considering how other basketball players have handled bad calls in the past, Sanders’ gesture—though dripping with derision—was refreshingly original and entertaining. Almost Mr. Rogers-like in its (feigned) neighborly joy.

Its true meaning, however, wasn’t lost upon the referees, who immediately assessed the Bucks center his second technical foul and ejected him from the game.

Sanders headed into the locker room in the final minutes of the fourth quarter with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the Bucks would go on to the lose to the Washington Wizards, 106-93.

You did all you could, Larry.

But unfortunately, refereeing isn’t like sharing videos on YouTube, and apparently officials take offense to their calls being thumbed-up.